The casting of different forms and dimensions of aluminium alloy EN WA-5083 test samples
and the usage of different types of mould materials resulted in achieving different cooling rates
of samples. The methods used were simple thermal analysis, using casting into a measuring cell
made by the Croning process and using casting into a cone-shaped measuring cell, as well as
simultaneous thermal analysis using the method of differential scanning calorimetry. Significant
temperature phase transitions and times of solidification were determined, and the
dependence model of the solidification time on the sample cooling rate was obtained. Determining
the mean number of grains per unit area on samples after having performed the simple
thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry makes it possible to develop a dependence
model of the mean number of grains per unit area on the cooling rate. These models are
the basis for carrying out numerical simulations of solidification and microstructure development
in the cone-shaped measuring cell, and the comparison of the distribution of the mean
number of grains per unit area obtained by simulation with the one obtained experimentally.
The obtained results represent a part of the preliminary tests of the microstructure development
of industrially cast ingots of EN AW-5083 alloy depending on the local ingot cooling rate.